South Sudan, Rebels Begin Direct Talks

Exploring Monitored Cease-Fire, Future of Detained Politicians

By

Nicholas Bariyo

Updated Jan. 5, 2014 4:32 p.m. ET

South Sudan's warring parties began peace talks in Ethiopia on Sunday, even as government troops thwarted rebel advances on the country's capital.

Government and rebel negotiators are holding direct talks on a monitored cease-fire as well as the fate of several rebel-allied politicians who were rounded up in December, shortly after violence broke out more than three weeks ago, said South Sudan's foreign-affairs minister, Barnaba...